Welcome to the Academy
by Sky Pie
Summary: Hercules attempts to make friends with a reclusive new cadet at Cheiron's Academy.
1. Chapter 1

**TITLE:** Welcome to the Academy

**AUTHOR:** Sky Pie

**RATING:** G

**SUMMARY:** Hercules attempts to make friends with a reclusive new cadet at Cheiron's Academy.

**DISCLAIMER:** The character of Alexia is mine. All _Young_ _Hercules_ characters are not mine and no copyright infringement is intended. This is an original work of fiction. Any similarities to other fan fictions or stories are entirely coincidental.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** I began writing this story on June 8, 2003, and completed it on October 10, 2003. However, it suffered severe editing by a thoroughly embarrassed author on July 29, 2006. The people I want to thank know who they are; in order to protect them from angry readers, they shall remain nameless.

---

A young woman made her way along a lonely dirt road. She had been walking for miles, and was growing weary from the journey. As she went, thoughts of home and her father flooded her mind. For a while she felt guilty about leaving everything behind, but she soon pushed those thoughts aside and turned her focus to the path that lay ahead.

After stopping for a brief moment to rest, she pressed onward with the knowledge that her destination wasn't much further. Eventually, she came upon a small grassy hill overlooking the building. When she reached the top and saw the academy, she knew she had made it. She was one step closer to achieving her ambition—to become a warrior.

---

"Looks like I've beaten you again Iolaus!" Hercules announced triumphantly to his friend.

"Hey, I'll get you in the next round. Fifth time's a charm," the curly-haired blonde replied. The cadets were practicing that morning in the training hall and the demigod was easily defeating Iolaus at the sparring drills.

The two boys fought another round, and sure enough, Hercules won again. "Oh yeah! Who's the master now?" he gloated.

"Ah, you're just lucky. I was going easy on you." Iolaus said. The cadets changed partners and he went over to spar with Jason, while Hercules's new opponent was Lilith.

"I hate to admit this, but there's probably no one at the academy that can defeat Hercules." Jason confessed to his friend.

"Well, you never know, that might change." Iolaus remarked. Hercules, Jason, and Lilith all looked at him with question in their eyes. "The academy is getting a new cadet," he explained. "I overheard a conversation with Cheiron."

"When are they coming?" Jason asked.

"I don't know, but they should be arriving pretty soon."

"C'mon guys, we'd better stop talking and finish practicing." Lilith suggested. The four comrades continued drilling, saving their curiosity for a later time.


	2. Chapter 2

After classes ended for the day, a handful of cadets headed outside for a game of bag ball. The game was about to start when Hercules noticed a figure approaching out of the corner of his eye. He directed his attention towards the mystery person, and as they came closer, he could see that it was a young woman around his age.

She was fairly tall for a girl, with pale skin and medium-length brown hair, which was tightly woven into a braid hanging down her neck. She wore a tan leather vest with matching pants, and a small bag was slung over her shoulder. The girl wasn't what most would consider beautiful, for she seemed featureless and plain. The only characteristics that stood out were her intense green eyes, framed by long, dark eyelashes.

The girl continued making her way down the hill towards the academy, and the others soon began to notice the stranger's arrival.

"Who is that?" Jason wondered.

"Maybe it's the new cadet." Iolaus guessed.

"Aww man, not _another_ female cadet!" Jason exclaimed. "What is up with women these days? Why can't they stay home and take care of the kids instead of beating up us guys and—OW!" he yelped as Lilith gave him a sharp nudge in the stomach with her elbow.

Iolaus grinned. "Hey, I don't mind another girl at the academy."

"Neither do I," Lilith said. "It's about time we get some more females here."

"Let's not jump to conclusions now. We don't know for sure if she's the new cadet," said Hercules cautiously.

"Well why don't we go and find out then?" Lilith said as they went over to meet the newcomer. They approached her hesitantly, for they didn't know whom she was or what to say. Hercules gathered the nerve to speak to her first.

"Excuse me, can we help you with anything?" he asked.

The girl had a stern expression on her face. "I'm looking for Cheiron," she said as she folded her arms across her chest.

"He's probably in his office." Hercules told her. "May I ask who you are?"

"I'm Alexia, and I'll be attending this academy."

"Hi Alexia, I'm Hercules. It's nice to meet you," he greeted, sticking out his hand to shake hers.

The cold look on her face remained. "Hercules, huh?" she said, ignoring his gesture of welcome. "I've heard of you."

Hercules drew back his extended hand. "Really? You've heard of me?"

"Yes you, son of Zeus," she snapped. "You and your two friends," she turned to face Iolaus and Jason. "The thief and the prince of Corinth."

"_Former_ thief," Iolaus corrected, offended by the mention of his past livelihood.

"Yeah, whatever." Alexia snorted. The three boys exchanged startled looks; evidently they shared the same first impression of her.

"I'm Lilith. It'll be nice to have another female around," the petite blonde said as she introduced herself.

"Hah! I wouldn't care if there was one or one hundred other females here." Alexia scoffed. "I'm here to become a warrior, and I can assure you that I am just as good as any boy." She eyed the three males that stood before her as she spoke, her hard gaze falling on Hercules during the last statement.

The cadets were at a loss for words. Her cocky, hotheaded attitude had turned them off, and had destroyed any chances of them trying to make friends with the new student.

"Um, Alexia? Why don't I show you to Cheiron's office? Then maybe you can start to get settled." Lilith said, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Alexia simply nodded and followed her inside the academy. As they passed by a group of boys, she viciously shoved one that whistled at her.

"Man, what a bit—"

"Don't say it, Iolaus." Jason cut off his friend's comment. "Although you're right. Looks like we won't be talking to her anytime soon."

Hercules sighed as he looked on in the direction she had headed. "Well, maybe it's just a front. Maybe she'll warm to everyone once she's comfortable here."

"I doubt it. C'mon, let's get back to the game." Jason urged. The three friends turned their attention to the game that was already in progress, but Hercules kept thinking about Alexia. He sensed that her tough act was a façade, and she acted the way she did to hide her nerves. Even after that sour first encounter, he decided to continue being friendly to her. She couldn't really be that bad—or so he thought.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day before classes began, Alexia was introduced to the rest of the cadets. There were whispers and snickers among them about having another girl, but she quickly shut them up with her fierce glare, and the students in the front of the room heard a low growl coming from her throat. The new pupil took a seat in the back row, ready to begin working. Hercules smiled and waved at her from where he was sitting, but she ignored him and concentrated on the lesson being taught.

_I guess getting through to her isn't going to be easy,_ Hercules thought to himself. He tried to focus on his schoolwork, but he kept glancing over at Alexia. There was still a great sense of mystery about her, and his curiosity continued to grow. There was something different about her, although he didn't know what. What he did know was that if she maintained her strange and elusive behavior, he wouldn't be able to find out.

---

"Thank the gods it's lunchtime. I am starved!" Iolaus said as the cadets made their way to the dining hall that afternoon.

"When are you not?" Jason teased. "Hey, since we were let out early, why don't we head over to Kora's?" he suggested to his friends.

They all agreed and were on their way out when Hercules noticed Alexia sitting at one of the empty tables by herself.

"Hey guys, why don't we invite Alexia?" he asked.

"Why? She won't want to come." Jason told him.

"Yeah, ever since she came here she's been doing her best to avoid everyone." Iolaus concurred. "You share a bunk with her Lilith. Has she said anything to you?"

"Well, I've tried to talk to her a few times, but she doesn't say much." Lilith replied. "It's like she doesn't want people to know her. If that's the case, we should probably leave her alone."

"Well, I'm going to ask anyway." Hercules said. "You guys go on ahead. I'll meet you there."

"Whatever." Iolaus mumbled as the trio left.

Exhaling deeply to shake off his nerves, Hercules casually walked over to the table where Alexia sat.

He cleared his throat and smiled. "Hi," he said as he slid onto the bench across from her. She looked up briefly to see who had spoken, then continued to eat the heinous stew in front of her.

"Listen, um, my friends and I are heading to the local inn for lunch and we were wondering if you'd like to join us." When she didn't respond, he added, "The food's a lot better, and we thought it'd be nice to maybe get to know you a little." Still more silence followed his words. He attempted one more time. "So what do you say?"

Alexia swallowed what was in her mouth so she could speak, although what she had to say was about as pleasant as what she was eating. "Look demigod, I don't need you, or your friends, or anyone else at this academy to pretend to be nice to me because I'm new here."

"I just thought—"

"Well you thought wrong," she replied tartly. "I can take care of myself and I don't need anyone's help or pity."

Hercules shook his head in disbelief. "A warrior can't always fight their battles alone, you know. They need to trust and depend on their comrades."

"Well I'm different. I can make it on my own." Her eyes gleamed with hatred and distrust. "So do yourself a favor and stay out of my way." With that she turned away from him, wanting to be left alone once again.

Hercules rose out of his seat, his eyes glued on the cruel, uncaring person in front of him. "If you're going to push everyone away and reject their kindness towards you, then fine. That's your loss."

He abruptly whirled around and headed out the door, pausing to take one last look back. He was done trying to be nice to Alexia. He had truly wanted to befriend her at first, but if she had that kind of disposition, she wasn't worth his time. Hercules turned around and started jogging to meet up with his friends.


	4. Chapter 4

The days went by quickly for Alexia as she began her training at the academy. She was smart and excelled at the academic part of her education. When it came to physical training, however, she struggled. Part of the problem was that she was trying too hard and being too aggressive. She also didn't think fast enough or completely understood everything that was being taught to her. Alexia didn't dare ask for anyone's help, even though she knew deep down that she needed it.

She continued to steer clear of confrontation with the other students—particularly Hercules—and in turn they avoided her as well. Alexia liked this, and hoped that it would stay that way. Little did she know that things were about to change drastically.

---

It occurred when the cadets were in the training hall to improve their sword fighting skills and Cheiron was assigning everyone a partner.

"...Iolaus and Jason, Lilith and Alexia, Hercules and—"

"Cheiron, sir?" Alexia interrupted.

The centaur looked over in her direction, a bit surprised that she had chosen to speak up at that particular moment. "Yes?"

"I don't mean to be rude, but why did you pair me with her?" Since Cheiron was the headmaster and her elder, she was more polite to him than she was to her peers, but not by much.

He seemed a bit puzzled by her question. "I was randomly pairing everyone."

"But you probably stuck us together because we're both girls, right?"

"Well yes, I suppose so," he answered. Cheiron wondered why she was challenging his authority. He had noticed her peculiar behavior ever since her arrival, and he didn't understand why she appeared to have a problem with her assigned partner.

"With all due respect sir, I expect to be treated like everyone else here. I think I can handle combating a boy," she remarked.

The headmaster sighed, as he realized that she wouldn't give up until she got her way. "Very well then. Jason, you will be partnered with Alexia. Iolaus, you will be paired with Lilith."

Alexia smiled in satisfaction as he continued to pair off the rest of the cadets. She didn't seem to mind when Iolaus, Jason, and Lilith all gave her unpleasant looks. Hercules shook his head, thinking she was shamelessly bold to stand up to her teacher like that, especially to someone as respected as Cheiron.

A bell tolled and the dueling began. Alexia was fairly confident that she could take on the future king of Corinth, but the young cadet couldn't have been more wrong. Jason was much more skilled with a sword, and he easily missed her blows. Even though it was only practice, she knew that she had been severely defeated.

Alexia was ashamed of herself because she had done so badly against Jason, but that gave her more motivation to do better in the next round. The bell tolled again, and the cadets switched partners. This time, Alexia was paired with Iolaus. She grinned snidely at the stocky blonde, thinking that beating him would be easy, but she soon found out how false her judgment was. Iolaus was swift, and he dodged her attacks with ease. He also came at her with several hits that took her by surprise. The overconfident brunette had a hard time accepting that she'd been clobbered once more.

The cadets fought several more times, and Alexia continued to do poorly no matter how hard she tried. Her heart sank when she was finally paired with Hercules, knowing full well at the rate she'd been going that she'd never be able to beat the demigod. Yet her body surged with determination, as she couldn't bear the humiliation of losing again.

Though it was only a drill, Alexia fought with all her might. Unfortunately, she was no match against Hercules. He was an incredible fighter, and every move he made seemed effortless. Finally practice ended and the cadets were given a short break. Alexia went over to a water basin and splashed her face, trying to cover up her disgrace.

_What would father say if he could see me now?_ she thought. _I can't let him down. I have to prove to him and everyone else that I can do this._

"Hercules, may I have a word with you?" Cheiron asked before drilling began again.

"Sure," Hercules said as he went over to his teacher.

"I need you to help Alexia. She's been doing inadequately in the drills and I would like for you to work with her."

"Um, I'm not sure that's such a good idea," Hercules said skeptically.

Cheiron raised his eyebrows in question. "And why would you say that?"

"Well, it's just that she pretty much shuts herself out from the rest of us," he explained, "and she acts like she doesn't want help from anyone." _Especially me,_ he added to himself as he thought back on the day he had talked to her in the dining hall.

The centaur nodded in understanding. "Yes, I've noticed that, too, but if she continues to perform poorly, she'll jeopardize her chances of staying at the academy. I know she may not be willing to cooperate, but at least try to help her."

Hercules sighed. "All right, I'll _try_ to help," he promised.

Reluctantly, he made his way over to where Alexia was standing. Her back was facing him, so he didn't see the expression on her face at that moment; it was a look of doubt, disappointment, and dejection. Her gloomy feelings were interrupted by the sound of Hercules loudly clearing his throat to get her attention. Alexia turned around and rolled her eyes when she saw who was standing not far behind her.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone, pretty boy," she said, walking over to pick up a sparring staff.

"I know you did, but Cheiron told me to help you with the drilling," he informed her.

Alexia gave him a cross look. "Thanks, but no thanks," she said bitterly. "The last thing I need is for you to boss me around."

Hercules sighed heavily. "Look, I'm not too thrilled about the concept of working together either, but I have to unless you want to risk being kicked out."

"Fine," she agreed irritably as he picked up another staff so they could practice. "So tell me, oh mighty son of Zeus," her voice dripping with sarcasm, "what could I possibly do to live up to your superior fighting standards?"

Hercules disregarded her mock compliment. "Well, for starters, you need to think before you act," he advised her. "You also need to be more alert, so you'll be prepared for anything your opponent might throw at you." He looked over at Alexia, who was clearly ignoring him. "And when instructions are given you need to LISTEN," he said, emphasizing the last word.

"Great, great, sure," she said heedlessly. "Are you done yet?"

By then, Hercules was getting really fed up with her attitude. "You know, if you just pay attention to what I'm saying, we'll get this over with sooner."

"Whatever. I'm not going to let you stand here and tell me what to do. You think you're so high and powerful because you're half god, and that it gives you the right to rub it in everyone's faces to make them feel lower than you. Well let me tell you something, you're not going to do that to me."

Hercules could no longer hold in his fury. He grabbed Alexia by the shoulders and yelled, "WILL YOU SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME?!"

His eyes were ablaze with anger as he looked into hers, but then he saw something that surprised him. She wasn't enraged or shocked in response to his outburst. In fact, when he looked into her deep green eyes, he saw nothing but fear.

Alexia trembled beneath his fiery gaze and her eyes began to well up with tears. She had never been so humiliated in her life. All of the other cadets in the room were looking at them with confusion. This uncomfortable staring contest between the two only lasted for a brief moment, but to Alexia it dragged on in slow motion. She hastily broke free of his hold, threw her staff on the ground and ran out the door, stumbling on the way.

"Way to go, Herc," said Iolaus from behind him.

"What just happened here?" Jason asked.

"I... I'm not quite sure," he replied. All of the anger he had towards Alexia moments ago had changed into worry. "I better go after her," he said before running out the door, leaving his befuddled friends gaping after him.


	5. Chapter 5

"Alexia! Alexia!" Hercules repeatedly shouted her name, but got no answer. He had ventured into the forest just outside of the academy in search of her, and was having no luck. He wandered around some more, still calling out for her, when he heard a noise coming from a few feet away.

He walked in the direction that the noise was coming from, and there he found Alexia sitting under a tree. Her face was buried in her hands, and she was crying like a baby.

"Alexia?" he said softly, not wanting to further upset her.

She lifted up her tear-stained face. "Go away!" she sobbed.

Ignoring her request, Hercules walked over and sat down beside her. "Listen, I'm sorry about what happened. I lost my temper. But why did you run off like that?"

Alexia sniffed. "Because, I... you," she stuttered. "You looked me in the eyes," she finally answered, her voice scarcely above a whisper.

"What?"

"It's just..." she started to explain, but then stopped herself. She wasn't sure that he'd understand. "Never mind."

"Alexia, I want to know why you treat people the way you do. Why do you push everyone away for? We're not trying to hurt you. In fact, if you'd give us a chance, we'd like to be your friends. So why are you so nasty to us?"

He sounded genuinely concerned about her. As much as she fought it, Alexia felt that it was time to open up to someone, and Hercules would have to do.

She sighed. "All right. I'll tell you, but I'll have to start from the beginning, and it's a long story."

Hercules nodded. "I'm all ears."

Alexia began explaining herself. "My father Nikolaos was a great warrior. When I was little, I thought he was the strongest and bravest man in the world. Everybody he knew admired and respected him. Despite having to be away often to fight, he was still a loyal, caring husband and father.

"I never knew my mother, for she died soon after I was born. Even though my father loved my sisters and I dearly, in his heart he had always longed for a son. He wanted a boy that would follow in his footsteps and become a soldier. But after my mother's death, he knew that his wish would never come true. So I blame myself for not being the son he had always wanted.

"My two sisters are quite older than me and were raised by my mother. Their main goal in life was to get married and have a family, like most women. I was different. While other girls played with dolls, I played in the mud with the boys. They disapproved of this, but no matter how hard they tried, they could never make me be like them. Apart from having to take care of me while father was away, they wanted nothing to do with my antics.

"Then our lives got turned upside down. My father became paralyzed from the waist down in battle. This caused me to grow up much faster, for now I had to care for both him and myself. My sisters soon married and started families of their own, so that left me alone with all of the household responsibilities.

"I worked hard at several jobs to support us. What my father didn't know was that little by little, I put away small amounts of money to pay for my tuition at Cheiron's Academy. I had heard of it and was told it was great training for future warriors. I realized that this was my chance to make my father proud of me. I wasn't a boy, but I could still follow in his footsteps. Nobody had confidence in me—not my father, my sisters, or the people in the village. This was a chance to prove to everyone what I could do.

"When I had gathered enough to pay the tuition, I told my father about my plans. He didn't think it wise to let me go and felt that I couldn't handle it. Not just because I was a girl, but also because he didn't have much faith in my abilities. I told him that I had to go, and that I wanted to be a warrior more than anything. He eventually gave in, and went to stay with my eldest sister Demetria and her family so I could go to the academy.

"As much as I want to show everyone that I can be a warrior, the truth is, I'm not sure if I can do it myself. I've never been good at anything my entire life, and I was constantly getting in the way or messing things up when I was young. I was laughed at by other kids and told that I was a failure. Even adults whispered it to each other when they thought I couldn't hear. I mean, when you are told that you are something day after day, you begin to believe it.

"The reason I acted the way I did when I first arrived was so people wouldn't see the real me. I believe that when you look into someone's eyes, you see their true selves. So in the training hall this afternoon, I felt that you saw through me, that you saw how weak and cowardly I really am. That's why I ran away, and now I can't show my face at the academy again."

Hercules took a moment to digest her words. He had been right all along; her cruelty had been a cover. Because he had seen past that, she thought he would use it to torment her. What she didn't know was that if she'd been honest about herself from the beginning, her insecurities wouldn't have mattered to him and the other cadets. They had all experienced uncertainties somewhat when they first arrived.

He also sympathized with her plight. He, too, yearned for his father's approval. He, too, did things against the will of others to be noticed by him. He, too, had been teased because he was different. However, he had dealt with those problems thanks to his inner strength. Alexia didn't have that, which is why it was so difficult for her.

"You have to come back sometime. Running away from your problem isn't going to solve anything," Hercules told her.

"How can I face everyone now that they know how fake I am?" Alexia asked. She sighed as she lay her head against the tree trunk, looking up at the clear blue sky above her. "Maybe I'm kidding myself. Maybe I can't do this. Maybe I should go back home."

"No, you can do it, Alexia. You just have to work on a few things."

She turned to face him, with an incredulous look on her face. "A few things? More like everything."

Hercules took a deep breath, trying not to let his frustrations get the best of him again. "No, not just training, I meant your attitude. First of all, you need to trust others. From what I've heard, you've had bad experiences in the past, and yes, there are people in life who'll look down on you. But if that makes you too afraid to let anyone in, then you'll never find the people who will accept you."

"Secondly, you must be willing to listen, whether it's from a mentor or a fellow cadet. A warrior can't always rely on their own instincts to get them through the obstacles they encounter. If you listen closely to others' advice and practice hard, then you'll see improvement.

"Most importantly, you need to believe in yourself. A warrior without faith is like a bow without an arrow—it's useless. I know you want to prove the people that doubt you wrong, but if you doubt yourself, you're letting them win. I had similar worries until a very wise friend told me those things. If you'll just try to work on them, then I'll do anything I can to help you."

Alexia shook her head in disbelief. "I don't understand, Hercules. How can you be willing to forgive me after the horrible way I've treated you?"

"Because I believe that people deserve second chances," he replied, "and I think if you'll be honest to yourself from now on, things will get better for you."

Alexia then understood that her act wouldn't get her anywhere. If she really wanted to be a warrior, she'd have to push her petty fears aside and work hard at correcting her faults.

"Come on, we'd better head back to the academy." Hercules insisted.

He held out his hand to help Alexia off the ground. She stood up and just as he turned around, Alexia stalled. "Hercules, wait!" He stopped and turned to face her.

"Look, I know we've pretty much put what happened behind us," she explained, "but I'd feel better if we started over."

"All right," he agreed.

Alexia stuck out her hand. "Hi, I'm Alexia."

"Hi, I'm Hercules," he said as he returned the gesture. The two cadets walked back to the academy side by side, having a new found respect for one another.

"So Hercules, how do you think I can improve my sword play?"

Hercules sighed. "Hmm, this may take awhile..."

Alexia gave him a playful shove. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" he exclaimed. "Well, let's see..."


	6. Chapter 6

When they returned to the academy, Hercules explained to Cheiron what had happened. The headmaster excused them, but they still had to make up the work that they missed. He was fairly lenient, for he sensed that their conversation had somehow turned Alexia in the right direction.

That evening, Alexia addressed the rest of the students and apologized for her rude and heartless behavior. Jason and Iolaus, among others, were suspicious about her turning over a new leaf all of a sudden, but Hercules assured them that her intentions were good. So when she asked for their forgiveness, the majority of the cadets managed to mumble a "Sure, whatever."

Alexia was not distraught by the lack of response. In fact, she was actually relieved that she was on her way to starting over. There was just one person that she wanted to apologize to individually.

---

"Lilith?" Alexia asked for her bunkmate's attention right before it was time to turn in for the night.

"Yeah, what do you want?" Lilith responded curtly. She still hadn't forgiven Alexia for the way she had treated her.

"Listen, I know I already apologized to everyone as a whole, but I wanted to say I'm especially sorry to you. I really hope you can forgive me for being so rotten."

"Whatever," she muttered, not believing that her words were sincere.

"I'm also hoping that we can become friends," Alexia continued, "and I want you to know that I admire your strength."

That comment caught Lilith's ear. She looked at Alexia with a surprised expression. "Really?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, before I came here you were the only girl, and you probably had to put up with a lot because of it. Yet you were able to make the other cadets respect you instead of ridicule you."

Lilith nodded as she thought about how true those words were. "Yeah. I did, didn't I?"

"I think together," Alexia added slyly, "we can teach those boys a thing or two about fighting."

Her remark made Lilith smile and chuckle. "All right." The two female cadets shook hands, signifying the beginning of a new friendship.

Alexia climbed onto the top bunk and situated herself beneath her blanket. "Good night Lilith," she whispered.

"Good night Alexia." Lilith whispered back from the bottom bunk, then blew out the candle beside her.


	7. Chapter 7

Alexia worked harder than she ever had before in her life. Along with studying in the classroom and training to be a warrior, she put forth a special effort to work on the things Hercules had told her. She listened attentively when she was given advice or tips, and tried her best to put them to use as she practiced. At times it was frustrating, but she kept reminding herself of her goals and proceeded.

She also began to open up to others. After her apology, she became more acquainted with Hercules, Iolaus, Jason, and Lilith. For the first time in her life she was making friends who saw past her many personality flaws and accepted her for who she was, just like Hercules had said. Alexia finally felt like she was beginning to belong somewhere.

Caught up in the whirlwind of everything that was happening, there was one thing that Alexia had yet to work on—she still had no self-confidence. Whenever she looked at her reflection, she saw the shy, clumsy little girl she used to be, instead of the strong, independent young woman she was becoming. As hard as she tried, she couldn't forget all the negative comments people had said about her in the past. She felt useless and doubted that she would ever accomplish her goal. The only things that kept her going were the encouragement she got from her comrades, and her determination to make her father proud.

Cheiron noticed and was pleased with her improvement. Yet he knew that she should have been doing better by that point in time. Alexia had a lot of potential, but Cheiron wasn't sure if she really had what it took. Although she had been working extremely hard lately, it still wasn't enough. He strongly disliked having to make the decision, but the headmaster knew that something had to be done.

---

Cheiron heard a knock on his office door one afternoon while he was looking over a scroll. "Come in," he said as he rolled up the parchment.

Alexia slowly made her way in and closed the door behind her. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes, Alexia. Have a seat," he told her. She hesitantly walked over and sat in one of the chairs that stood before his desk. She was nervous because she was afraid she had gotten into trouble and feared being punished—or even worse, being sent home.

Cheiron cleared his throat and began speaking. "Foremost, I would like to say that you have made a significant improvement in your training."

"Thank you, sir," said Alexia politely, though she had a sinking feeling that bad news was up ahead.

"I know you haven't been here as long as the other students, so I don't expect you to be up to par with them yet. But you've been at the academy for a while now, and I'm afraid you are not meeting the required standards of an average cadet."

_I knew there was going to be bad news,_ she thought to herself grimly.

"Under other circumstances, I don't give students second chances," he continued, "but I've given a lot of thought to the situation at hand."

"What are you trying to say?" a confused Alexia asked.

"Normally, I would fail a cadet in your position. Yet I care about my students and do my best to encourage them to keep trying. That's why I've decided to give you an examination."

"Examination? What kind of examination?"

"A physical examination, to test you on your skill and technique. You will have five rises and sets of the sun to prepare. If you pass, you are welcome to stay at the academy, but if not, I'm sorry to say that I'll have to ask you to leave."

Alexia fought back the urge to cry as her eyes began to water. She thought she had been doing better, but apparently her efforts weren't good enough. Still, she was fortunate to have been given a second chance with this exam. The question was whether or not she had the strength and talent to pass.

"You are dismissed." Cheiron said, after a long moment of silence. Alexia managed to rise out of her seat, although she was a little shaky.

"Thank you, sir," she mumbled before turning to leave. The headmaster sighed after he heard the door close. He had done what he had to, but that didn't make it any easier. And if it wasn't settling well with him, he could imagine how awful Alexia must have felt at that moment.


	8. Chapter 8

Alexia no longer tried to stop the tears that poured down her cheeks. _I can't do this,_ she thought. _I'm never going to be able to pass the examination. I'll have to go back home and father will be disappointed in me..._ As those thoughts raced through her mind, her tears flowed out even heavier. She soon became overwhelmed with emotion and couldn't stand there a moment longer. Without thinking, she dashed out of the academy as fast as her legs would take her. She didn't know where she was going, she just kept running in hopes that she could somehow escape from it all.

Hercules, Iolaus, Jason, and Lilith were outside playing a game of bag ball when they saw a figure rush past. Hercules froze as he watched the person whiz by, and consequently the ball hit him square in the chest.

"Oof!" he exclaimed after the impact.

"C'mon Herc, pay attention! We're already down by four points!" Iolaus scolded his teammate.

"Sorry," he apologized after he'd recovered from the hit, "but wasn't that Alexia who just ran by here?"

"I'm pretty sure it was." Lilith replied. "She didn't look too happy, either."

Hercules nodded in agreement. "I'm going to find out what's the matter. You guys can finish the game without me," he told the others before heading off in the direction she had gone.

Lilith, Iolaus, and Jason were worried about Alexia as well, but they figured it'd be best to let Hercules talk to her. The three resumed the game, with concern for their friend in the back of their minds.

The young demigod ran through the woods once more to find the runaway cadet. His first instinct was to go back where he had found her before, but Alexia was nowhere around that area. Hercules searched all throughout the forest and found no sign of her. He was about to head back when he saw a figure crouched beside a nearby pond.

"Alexia!" he called as he ran over to her. She didn't react at all to his voice, and instead kept staring blankly out at the water. He stopped once he reached her side, taking a moment to catch his breath. "Alexia, what's wrong? Why did you run away again?" he asked.

"I just needed some fresh air," she replied as she continued to look vacantly out at the horizon.

"Alexia, please tell me what's bothering you. I was worried when I saw you run by, you looked so upset—"

"Hercules, just leave me alone!" she exclaimed. "You shouldn't waste your time fretting over a nobody like me," she paused for a while, then added quietly, "and you won't have to for much longer."

"What are you talking about?"

Alexia sighed as she turned to face him. "I might have to leave the academy."

Hercules didn't quite comprehend what she meant. "Leave? Why would you have to leave?"

She then told him about her visit to Cheiron's office and what he had said. Hercules could hardly believe his ears. Alexia had worked hard and was beginning to make real progress, and now she might have to leave it all behind. It just didn't seem fair. Hercules saddened at the thought of losing his new friend.

"Cheiron has given me five days to prepare," she added, "but I doubt that will make much of a difference. I might as well start packing now."

"Don't talk like that." Hercules said. "Remember what I said before: you can do it as long as you believe that you can."

Alexia shook her head. "No, it's time for me to face the facts. I can't be who my father wants me to be. I can't be anything but a silly, useless girl." She could feel more tears threatening to come out, so she got up and walked away.

"Alexia!" he shouted, making the brunette quicken her pace. The demigod bolted up and ran after the stubborn female cadet. "You know, the only reason you can't do it is because you've already given up on yourself," he stated once he reached her side.

She stopped and turned to face him, pain reflecting in her eyes. "I've given up because I know I'll fail. I'd be saving the trouble if I left now."

"You'll never know for sure if you don't try," he said. "You have five days before the exam. We would be more than willing to help you train for it. C'mon Alexia, what have you got to lose?"

She lowered her head and murmured, "Nothing. It's just that I don't think I'll be able to pass."

Hercules looked at her solicitously. "You've got to have a little faith in yourself. If it's any consolation, I believe in you."

Alexia looked up at him. "Really?"

He smiled warmly. "Yeah, I really do."

Alexia exhaled deeply. "All right. I'll go through with the exam, but I don't want to get my hopes up too high."

Hercules nodded. "I understand."

The two walked back sullenly, both absorbed in their personal thoughts. Hercules knew that all he could do was lend a helping hand and moral support to Alexia. She had to find the confidence in her abilities on her own.

---

The next five days were hectic, to put it mildly. Alexia practiced and prepared for the exam every chance she could find. Hercules, Lilith, Jason, and Iolaus all helped her in different areas of training—sword fighting, sparring, one-to-one combat, javelin throwing, archery, balancing poles, on the ropes, etc. She had to do some drills blindfolded to strengthen her senses and from heights to work on maintaining her stability. She was easily frustrated, and would sometimes take her anger out on her opponent, but only because the pressure was getting to be too much. Fortunately, her friends understood and kept practicing with her until she got the hang of it. Under all of the stress, she hardly had time to worry about passing. She just kept going and hoped that everything would turn out for the best.


	9. Chapter 9

Silence masked the night, interrupted only by the hoot of an owl. Everything was still and dormant at the academy, as the cadets were sound asleep—except for one. Alexia tossed and turned ceaselessly, her worried conscious not allowing her to rest. The examination would take place the next day. She brooded over how things could turn out, and imagined several bad scenarios. Eventually she was able to close her eyes, only to have a most discomforting dream.

In the vision, Alexia saw that she was back in her old village. The town was deserted, with no signs of life in sight. She heard her father's voice call out in distress.

"Don't worry, I'm coming!" she shouted, taking off to find him. As she ran, people started to appear out of nowhere, people from her past. They stared at her with fiery eyes and said things like,

"You can't do that."

"Who do you think you are?"

"You're worthless."

"Get out of my way!"

"You can't do anything right."

"You're nothing."

Alexia began running harder to reach her father, but the more she ran, the further away his voice seemed to be, and the more the people taunted her.

She finally reached her house and burst through the door. "Father!" she cried, but he was nowhere to be found. Instead, there was a dark-cloaked figure facing the back wall.

"Who are you? What have you done with my father?" she asked in a demanding tone, although her voice quivered. When the person did not respond, she walked closer to find out who it was. She was within a few paces away when they suddenly turned around and removed the hood. Alexia was shocked to be staring in the face of Hercules. His usual kind and honest eyes were now shining with the same evil fire as the people from the village. He grinned wickedly, and in a low, sinister tone he uttered one simple sentence, "You can't do it."

Alexia woke up in fear, with sweat covering her body. The recent nightmare plagued her mind, and she tried to decipher its message. All of those people coming back and telling her that she would fail. Even Hercules, the person who had prompted what little faith she possessed, said that she couldn't. This made her all the more confused. _What if the dream is right?_ she thought. Feeling like a small, helpless little girl again, Alexia curled into a ball and softly cried herself back to sleep.

---

"Are you gonna eat that?" Iolaus asked Alexia that morning at breakfast, indicating her untouched bowl of oatmeal.

"No," she sighed, nudging the bowl across the table to him.

"Are you feeling all right?" Hercules asked her.

"No, not really," she replied. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Because you were nervous about the exam?" inquired Jason.

"Yeah, that and this nightmare that I had." She told them about the dream and all of the events that occurred—her father, the villagers, and the stranger in her house. "...and the worst part was, when the person revealed themselves, it turned out to be..." she trailed off.

Hercules looked at her curiously. "Who?" Alexia didn't respond verbally, but she answered with the troubled look in her eyes.

"Alexia, don't let it get to you." Lilith told her friend. "You've worked really hard and you're bound to pass the exam."

"Do you really think so?" she asked.

"Yeah," three of her comrades agreed. They then looked over at Iolaus, who was polishing off his breakfast.

"Right Iolaus?" Hercules asked sternly.

Iolaus peeked his head up. "Oh, yeah, sure," he said.

The others exchanged looks and rolled their eyes at the typical behavior of their friend. Oddly enough, though, Alexia gave a faint smile at the slight shift in the mood. She turned to look out a window and saw sunlight streaming in. Outside, the grass was a perfect green, with the cloudless morning sky painted above it. It was truly a beautiful day, and somewhere out there was her father. It was at that moment when Alexia made a revelation. Passing the exam wasn't a matter of could she do it, but rather a matter of she _had_ to do it, for both her father and herself. If she thought of it that way, and truly wanted to pass bad enough, it was possible. She felt foolish and blind for not figuring it out sooner, as her friends had been trying to tell her all along.

She looked back at the other four and said, "I think I'll go for seconds. I need to build up my energy for this afternoon."


	10. Chapter 10

Hercules waited anxiously outside the training hall. Alexia had gone in earlier to take the exam, and he was anticipating the result. He couldn't help but worry, but he had also noticed a renewed confidence in Alexia that morning, which put him at ease a little.

"Herc, don't worry, I'm sure she did fine." Lilith said as she, Jason, and Iolaus joined him in front of the large wooden doors.

"I know. I just hope she realized that she could do it beforehand."

It wasn't long after when the doors creaked open and Alexia stepped out. "Hey guys," she greeted casually.

"So, how did it go?" Hercules asked.

"Well, Cheiron told me that I needed to work on my hand-eye coordination, and I slipped up a bit during the blind drill. He also said that um..." she stopped and smiled. "I passed."

There was a mixture of excitement and relief in the air as her friends hugged and congratulated her.

"Welcome to the academy, Alexia." Hercules said after he embraced her. "I knew you could do it."

She smiled back. "Yeah, thanks to you guys."

"This calls for a celebration!" Hercules announced.

"Sounds good to me." Iolaus chimed in.

"Let's head over to Kora's." Lilith suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

"Iolaus pays." Jason insisted.

"Sounds good... hey!" he exclaimed, but Lilith and Jason had already run off and he was quick to pursue them. Hercules and Alexia followed close behind. The five cadets soon found themselves in a race, laughing and trying to keep each other from getting ahead. Halfway to the inn, Alexia stalled Hercules.

"Hercules, wait. I need to tell you something."

"Sure. What is it?"

"I just wanted to thank you for everything," Alexia said. "For believing in me, and for being a friend even when I didn't deserve it."

Hercules smiled. "No problem."

"It's just that I've never had that in my life before now," Alexia continued, "and it really means a lot to me. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied.

Alexia laughed nervously. "Sorry, I didn't mean to get all deep and sentimental on you."

"That's all right." Hercules replied. "Just don't do it again."

Iolaus hollered, "Are you two coming or what?"

"Right behind you!" Hercules called back to him. He turned to Alexia.

"Race you there?"

Alexia smiled wickedly. "You're on!"

The two cadets laughed as they took off to catch up to their friends.


End file.
